A known alloying technique utilizes the addition of molybdenum oxide to steel melts via the transformation of the oxide to ferromolybdenum. In this case, molybdenum oxide (MoO.sub.3) with conversions up to 90% Mo can be used directly as an alloying medium.
It is also known that in the treatment of the corresponding ores dust-like oxides are produced with unpleasant properties: thus the uptake of molybdenum oxides for humans and animals even in concentrations in parts per million should be avoided. For this reason and also on the ground of economy, the losses of molybdenum oxide by spewing of dust in the introduction thereof into steel melts, should be avoided.
Thus it is customary to agglomerate molybdenum oxide with the aid of binders and to introduce it into the melt as shaped bodies. In a conventional agglomeration technique, the oxide powder is pressed into briquettes with about 12 percent by weight of pitch (binder) which have the form and dimensions of building bricks. The briquettes are introduced into melts in a manner such that the yield of molybdenum is about 90% Mo.
It has been found, regrettably, that this approach to the method is not without disadvantages. Thus, while the amount of dust spewed by comparison to that spewed with the pure use of dust is reduced, it is not sufficiently diminished.
Furthermore, it has been noted that the pitch utilized as the binder can be carcinogenic even upon brief contact with the skin. Finally, conversions better than 90% in the case of expensive products such as molybdenum oxide are desirable.